River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-02-24

Mayor. throwing himself into an easy
chair and covering his face with his
hands. THAT poor girl yonder is a
beggar, and have but hundred a
year left
Maude looked from one to the other
in utter bewilderment and then crossed
over to her uncle, trying to comfort
him and gain some explanation at the
same time.
Il feel that this is no scene for a
stranger to Witness" said Mr.. Browne.
''Sir, you have my deepest sympathy,
and / am sure that at the present mo-
ment can show it no better way than
by Withdrawing.
Maude followed her lover to the
door. She was much distressed on her
unele's account, but did not fully
realize her own loss of fortune.
''Are you really better. dear Jackp"
she said anxiously.
Eyes, thank You. Quite cured
Good-by," and he was gone.
That her lovers leave-taking was a
little abrupt did strike Maude; she
was, however, far too confused by the
turn affairs had taken to attach much
Importance to the first circumstance.
When she returned to her uncle he
seemed wonderfully better, and at
supper he talked quite cheerfully of
their future.
Maude passed another sleepless night.
She did not so much mind the terrible
loss she had sustained on her own ac-
count; but she was bitterly disap-
pointed that she could not do all she
| had promised for her dear Jack. She
determined, however, to be the most
loving, economical wife possible At
| all events her uncle would not be able
to accuse Jack of being mercenary
| now, and there was much comfort in
that reflection. Perhaps after all they
would be liable to have proper wedding,
of course it would have to be very quiet
one. How much nicer that would be
han rum ing away and deceiving her
uncle, who had always been so kind to
her.
When she came down to breakfast
the next morning she was looking pale
and little worn after her two sleepless
nights The Major, however, seemed
to have succeeded in throwing off his
grief in quite a wonderful manner, and
was in almost his usual spirits.
Have you heard how Mr.. Browne is
this morningP" Maude ventured to
ask the land-lady's daughter.
"Why, Miss, he paid up for the week
and went off by the mail train asst
night, declaring he was sure the place
didn't suit him.
Poor Maudei The blow did indeed
fall on her with crushing force.
dear me, rather student We shall
miss the old gentleman-eh, Miss
MaudeP" said the Major, as soon as the
uncle and niece were left together. He
laid slight stress on the adjective, and
there was a suspicion of fun in his eyes
Ii was, however, no laughing matter
to Maude; she, poor girl, unable long
er to act her part, burst into an uncon-
trollable fit of weeping.
poor child, poor child?' said the
Major, compassiOnatelyi Its sharp
lesson for you to learn. But il is bet
ter to bear little pain now than to suffer
for the remainder of your life, as would
most probably have been your fate if l
had not paid that scoundrel out in his
own coin.
The threatened loss of fortune was
all fabrication, Mai. Henderson having
gone no nearer to London than the top
room in Honeysuckle Cottage.
The truth was, the Major had dis
covered what was going on when he
had come upon the lovers so uneXpect-
eddy. He then devised the scheme,
which he afterward carried out so sue
cessfully, in order to test the sincerity
of Lieut.. Mapleson's attachment to
Maude. Maj. Henderson had, of course,
been obliged to take the landlady into
hisconfidence, and she, fully entering in
to the spirit of the thing, had suggested
the Majors occupying the top room in
her cottage, whence he could watch
Mr.. Brownies movements. And so
Maj. Henderson had merely walked to
the station, portmanteau in hand, and,
returning, had entered Honeysuckle
Cottage by the back way
Maude's grief and humiliation were so
real when she heard these details that
her uncle, thinking that she would not
care to remain where her story was
known wisely suggested returning home
the following day.
1--WE can give garden party or some
thing of that kind in honor of your
twenty-first birthday. 1t will be few
days after the event, but that won't
matter. would give good deal to
see that young fortune-hnnter' face
when he finds out how he has been
duped. There's no fear of his title-tat-
Ting about it, though, for his own sake,
so the story won't go all over the town.
suppose, my DEAR added Maj Hen
derson, rather anxiously, you'll never
let him again find the way to your kind
little heart with his honeyed words?'
Maude drew herself up to her full
hight. IN }, indeed, uncle, that | new
er will. To use his own words, l am
quite cured
Before the year was out another suit
or asked for Maude's hand, and on this
occasion the anxious pleader did not
have any cause to complain of Maj.
Henderson's obstinacy. Chambers
Journal
4